"We did ten steps forward."

Those were the words of Diego Rosa after stage one of the Giro d'Italia. Rosa and his teammates were among the best teams in the inaugural team time trial along a bike path overlooking the Ligurian Sea.

Astana Pro Team raced with a slight headwind and despite this clocked an average speed of 53 km/h and a top speed of 63 km/h. The Team finishedd in third position, 13 seconds behind stage winner Orica GreenEdge of Australia.

"I expected a good time because we are a special group, close-knit and in great condition," Aru said. "I was sick but now I have a good feeling and my mates have already shown in Trentino that they are strong. We have young riders with some veterans, a perfect mix to do well. But we are only in the first stage, there are still 20 to go. I am focused and excited about the start of this tour. It will be 3 intense weeks, in which I want to entertain the Italian fans who are making me feel their warmth."